Apparatus for charging storage batteries.



D. H. WILSON.

APPARATUS TOE GHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1911.

1,126,669. Patented 112111.26, 1915.

fsk f 'lll l rim Q @a if UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

DAVI'E H. WILSON, OE RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNOR To WILSON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OE NEW YORK, N..Y., A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

AlvPPAB-,ATUS FOR GHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

To allwhom it may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, DAVID H. l/VILSON, citizen of the United States, and resident of Ridgewood, New Jersey, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvement-s in Apparatus for Charging Storage of current from one to the other.

Batteries, of which the-following is a specilication. y f

My invention consists of apparatus for charging storage batteries which has many marked advantages over the systems now known.

. One of the objects of my invention is to greatly reduce the time required to store electrical energy in a storage battery. vIn

accomplishing this result I charge thebat-- ltery with a heavy amperage of current and heavy charging currentwhich tend to insulate the said Ysolution from the. battery plates; or which tend to prevent the passage In practice I employ a current for charging the battery orf-` such amperage as would, other conditions being equal, injure or destroy l ordinary batteries not vprovided with low resistance leading-in conductors and then reduce the amperage to about 0 amperes per square inc-h of plate surface soas to allow gases to become dissipated or escape from the corrugati'on of the plate.

Another object of my invention is =to evenly distributel the charge of current over the plates `and corrugations and extend it from the outer portions of the corrugations to the innermost corners. i'

Another object of my invention is to cause the charge to penetrate into the plates to a considerable depth and to penetrate more or less evenly over the whole corrugated surfaces of the plates, thus preventing shedding of the plates. In" some batteries the active material is 'in the form of thin ribs. In 'such batteries, when charged with Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Jan. 26, 1915.

Application tiled November 21, 191,1. Serial No. 661,638.

a low charging current, the charge gathers upon the outer edges oit the ribs, and their inner edges, where they are connected to the lead or other stiffer portions of the plate, sometimes break away, causing the active material to scale ott, or shed. Myheavy charging current, by penetrating to the innermost recesses between the ribs, more firmly uniting them'to the .stiffer portions of the plate, prevents the scalingor shedding of the ribs. lVhena small current is used for charging battery plates the charge takes effect upon the Outer edges of the ribs to far greater extent than upon the innermost recesses between them. As the edges of the ribs become enlarged they close up against each other and, if the charge is carried far enough, VXert .lateral pressure against each other with the result that some of the ribs are broken or torn off from the plates. The heavy charge on the contrary is distributed evenly over the ribs, the innermost recesses receiving practically as heavy a charge as the outer edges and the ribs are` huilt up uniformly. The edges are not enlarged at the expense of the bases of the ribs. In other words the ribs are firmly united to the plates at all times and are not broken away.

Another object of my invention is to distribute the current evenly. through the plates in such a way as to prevent their buckling. This is assisted by running an electrical ,distributer of high conductivity and considerable surface area into the interior of the plates in such a-way as to enlarge the area of contact between each distributer and its plate. This enlarged area of contact and the proper location of the `distributersV also prevent heating. The area of contact between the distributers and 'plates is proportioned tothe active area of the plates to insure these results.

Another object of my invention is to time the periodical heavy charges of current so as to yinsure the maximum charging eiect and then when the creation of gases interferes with the efficient charging, to again establish efiicient charging conditions by the methods mentionedl above. When the gases are dissipated suihciently to permit another eflicient charging ythe amperage is preterably again increased up to the maximum amount which my battery construction make it possible and convenient.

Another object of my invention' is to graduate the changes of current from the` high amperage to the conditions which dis'- means, that is,

' speed.

' 3 is a sectional elevation of one of my series' of batteryv plates with lthe electrical connec` sipate the obstacles to eicient charging in such a way as not to interfere with the general working of the circuit and its eiciency, ,and to prevent any reversalof the field .coils of the chargingxmachine, or short circuiting of `the-battery through the charging ma'- 'chine f r I 1 The preferred method is to vary the stages between .7 .amper-age and the zero amperage in such a way that the current is stepped down. `Again, when the current isto be restored to the ful-1 amperage it is stepped up through resistanc'es, either in` ternal or external, or any other suitable the amperag'e is increasedby shifting into circuitl lower .resistance circuits one by one whichhas the effect of ing Y creasing the current step by step.

' Another object of my invention is" to time the intermittent charging current,- or the periodicity of its waves to This isA preferably done f v get the quickest :and best, results. e vautomatically by'means of a motor `of some kind, the speed ofvwhich isdeterminedandwhich cuts'in and cuts out resistances auto-v matically. inthe shunt field circuit and the .frequency and form of the charging waves Y be so switched as to charge an ordinary bat`` tery in the ordinary .way by leaving the field coils in such -a condition of activityas-tof1 enable them to be used with' such ordinary storage batteries. c

In the drawings: .Figure l lsho'ws.'my charging vapparatus switched to such a' condition tliat it will charge -myi'special battery as aforesaid. Fig. 2 is atop view of .the connectionsof my battery plates.l Fig.

' tions thereto. Fig. 4 Iis a side elevation of 011e of said plates. f

In Fig. y1 my-apparatus is shown in condition to' charge'my special battery B2, which is the battery shown in some ofthe other figures of the., drawings. When the switch S is thrown'to tthe position shown the full The motor also manipulates external circuit by meansgcf tions. The chargingimachine'l) is connected Vover the following circuits: brush G1,`

shunt field coil D1, conductor 1, brush R1 ofi the automatic resistance R, contact plate AR2 i of the said automatic resistance R over one of the resistance coils R", connected between tli said plate R2 and conductor 2, thence fio-y by way of conductor 2`to the brush G2. At

the same time a 4multiple circuit is established from the brush G1 of charging machine D. by way of conductor 5, contact point S1, contact point S2, conductor 6, contact lever S7, contact point Ss, battery B2, contact-point S9, switch lever S1", conductor 18, switch lever R11?, conduetor2, brush G2,

to the chargingmachine D. The series coil D2 is yalso short circuited by conductors 6 vand 5 running to the contact points S*1 and S3 respectively, which are united together by the switchv lever S. v

' The throw of the switch lever S also connects together the contact points S5 and S6 by the bridge contact S1", which is mounted `upon but insulated from the lever S. The

,circuitvthus established is traced from` the yterminal l1 over the conductor 4, the switch contactpoints S5 and S, conductor 4,

rheostat M1, armature of the motor M, to

theterminal-12. The vterminals 11 and '12 are connected to any suitable 'source lof current to run` the InotorvM.` This is preferably run ata steady speed. The motor M 'f turns the`worm`R". which operates the brush R1 mounted uponthe shaft R11` carrying the brush R1 i travels the direction'of the arrow R7 and may rest uponthe contactplate R2 for the purpose of'fdelivering a-heavy amperage to the-battery contact vpoints R2, higher resistances R6 are `intro'ducedfin the shunt field circuit, thereby reducing the amperage delivered to e battery.kr iVlhen contact R31 is reached, e coil Ruis-energized.5 This opens the circuit between switch lever R1,6 and contact 16, therebyy leaving' the battery B2 upon open circuit for its-,period of rest, forthe pur- Apose of dissipating the `obstacles to charging createdfby the heavy ampe'rage. This circuit is openedv preferably before the falling potential ofv the charging machine has reached the maximum'potential of the battery being charged.

The brush R1A engages contact R'1 before leaving R31, andf when thebrush R1 leaves the contact R31the condenser connected to R1 protects the ield coils and other windlngs in the 'circuit from damage. The brush engergizing R1'then engagescontact R51, coil R13 which restores theswitch lever R1*s -to contact 16, -reintroducing the; battery B2 into the charging circuit. The brush R1 l travels` from the contact plate R51 over l,the oontactpoints R1 connected to varied resistanc cnis' .by 'meanslof which. the re asshown in Fig. 2. Thebrush R1` B2. As the brush R1 travels over .ist

- an-dflows through the battery B2 the bat-4 rent flow in the shunt field coil D1 is varied and steadily increased in amount as the brush R1 passes from the contact plate R4 to the contact plate R2 and steadily increases the amperage delivery of the charg ing machine D. As the Damperage increases tery is charged with a constantly increasing current. This current may be increased until the .maximum charge which the battery B2 is capable of receiving is delivered from the charging machine. l/Vith the particular batteries shown in Figs. 2 to 4 to a current of such amperage as would injure or destroy plates of ordinary batteries may be delivered to the battery, other conditions being equal, Without injury and with eiiicient results. This amount may vary in accordance with the circumstances and conditions of use, the kind of battery to be charged, and the speed at which it is desired to be charged. 'When the condenser B15 is introducedinto the circuit in series with the shunt field coil, it substantially shuts off the current of the field coil and at thersame time protects it and the otheruwindings of the apparatus from injury. This causes a cessation of thel current delivery from the charging machine so that no current is passed into the battery B2. This gives the battery B2 its period ofrest to enable it to recuperate and dispose of the obstacles to efiicient charging which have been created able provision to take care of the current from the charging machine may be substituted in place of the broken circuit, when the battery is disconnected from the charging circuit. The brush R1 again passes over the contacts as hereinbefore set forth, repeating the operation periodically, intermittently and with predetermined periodicity. I The periodicity may be varied at will by means of the ,rheostat M1, by means of which the speed of the motorM may be changed so that the automatic resistance varying device R is1timed to give the'best results in connection with the particular sizes and designs of the batteries to be I prefer to time this automatic resistance varying device so that it makes approximately 16 to 17 revolutions an hour. I find that it may remain upon the contact R2 for about 170 seconds. The current is then stepped down 2 in probably 10 seconds to zro through the contact R81. The brush R1 then rests upon the contact R4 perhaps nearly 35 seconds and then the circuit is rapidly stepped up so that' larger and larger amounts fiow through the battery as the brush R1 passes over the contacts R5 and reaches the contact R2. These periods of time preferably vary with various conditions so as to give the most efficient re.- suits.

'Vhen it is desired to convert the charging machine so that it may be used in connection with ordinary batteries of low charging capacity the lever S is thrown over to the contact points S1 and S2, thereby leave ing the shunt field coil .D1 on a closed shunt circuit around the armature of the charging machine D and the series field coil D2 in the external circuit, so that the charging machine may be used as one having a com pound winding suitable for ordinary charging work, where it is used to charge batteries in multiple. The short circuit'around the series field coil D2 is at the same time opened between the contact points S3 andS" of the switch. The `compound switch lever S11 is Y kductor 2, and back to the brush G2. by the preceding heavy charge. Any suitpassing through the plate in one of its two longest dimensions. It may pass into the plate in any other way by meansof which it has a large area of contact between the copper and the lead, thereby giving a large collecting surface for the copper conductors from the lead `portions of the plate.

The` top view, Fig. 2, shows how the bus bars C1 and C are connected to the distri'btcr's C2 and Cjfand-hcw 'and are alternated with each other fso as to furnish paths for the current'oif'` more or less equal resistance from the distributers of one 'set I 5 of plates to the distributers -of the other'set of plates.

In operating my method I throw the vice into operative relation with,v the c rging machinearmature to vary the amperage delivery of the charging machine; A The automatic resistance varying'l device varies the 15 resistance in the shunt iield coilcircuit'pe'- riodically, causing the charging machine to' deliver for the periods stated a current .of such amperage as would, otherlconditions being equal, injure or Adestroy'ordinary bat- 20 down byxdegrees to zero untilpthe gases have 'substantially disappeared, and'then the amperage is again raised to a heavy charge. his process continues steadily untll4 the battery has been charged, when it is disconnected from the circuit;

In my apparatus if an empty storage battery is' suddenly connecte'dto the charging circuit it is possible that the generator may 30 develop ltoo greatan amperage for the battei-y. In this case-it is 'desirable' to'intro-` duce va regulator to prevent anover heavy charging current. For this purposeA I haveV introduced in the, main conductor 1 a low 3'5 resistance coil Maand in shunt with this coil J an electro-magnetic switch having `a coil 15, an armature 16, and a pair of contacts 17.

When an excess of current Hows over the main conductor 1.the`pu1lof the coil 15,

'overpowers the pull of the spring 24 so that the armature 16 opens the circuit'at' Contact Thi'shafs the effector introducing the re'- sistances 25 and 26 and as many more as may be desired into the circuitofthe shunt field coilv D1.. Y' When relays attractdtle armatures 27 and'open the circuits at the' contact 19, thiis' ropening 'the short "circuitsv around the aforesaid resistances ,25 and l26: -current -0 flws from the charging machine D over4 the 1 8 and conductor22N-backto, the charging machine D; This circuit is bridged across the charging machine and is counted upon to energize the relay c'oils'1-8`toattract the 5 armature 27 when the: circuits .are vopened at the, contacts 17 When the" current from thel charging' machine has dropped below' the over-,powers the coil and"closes tlie cir;A

tacts 17, relay neutralizing coils con'- teries, and then the amperage is dropped.

' of the charge,-

conductor through the resistance 21, coils hac @1i-avancement,

\ of'fihstantlyeutralizing the magnetic cct.

of the coils 18 thereby releasing the armature 27 and closing the circuits at contacts I and 26. When the resistances are shortcircuited a greater amount of current fiows throughthe shuntneld coil Dl-.Which increases the output of the charging machinea, When the short-circuits around the resistances 25 and 26 are opened the discharge is absorbed bylcondensers 28 which are bridgedand R3, or at least Whenthe output of the charging machine is reduced below the maxi#l mum'- `poifntathe regulator has no influence upon 'the 'operation' of my apparatus. The various resistances and shunts are adjusted in accordance with ordinary engineering skill to secure these results.

In place fof the 'resistances,25 and 26 any other resistaces may be substituted, as long as these rsistances inuence the current Hovving throughthe shunt eld coil D1.

It is quite possible to use a single resistance 25 or as many resistances as the construction o'f the apparatus and the output of the charging machine may require for efficient operation.A

Many employed. It is not essential that the automatic resistance varying device R and resistance R be in series with the shunt field coils D1, for they maybe placed anywhere in any variations of my apparatus may be u 19, thereby short-circuiting the resistances circuit which will vary the amperage ofthe l current delivery from the charging machine be employed in place ofthe automatic resist'-v ance varying device'R, and any other suitable Way may be to vary the periodicity any Aother variations may be`A made yin my" pp from the spirit of my invention.

Claims:` i

1. In combination', adstor'age battery, av

charging machine' providing a source of ance4 varying device, inean's to connect said ratus Without departing l an automatic resistsource to charge said storage battery, means.v "I

to disconnectsaid battery fromsaid charg- 1ng current,'means switched into circuit to protect from injury the windings of the circuits, a din'eans operated by said automatic resistance device to, econnect said battery to`. .the cliargingcurren. y

n coln inatn, a; storage battery, a h ery; :charging C u'rrent, time' Controlled 4 for 'p regressivelv charging the battue ensayar-thc heavy 25 stantial dissipation of obstacles to charging,

current to the battery in a vseries of arbitraril fixed periods of f111,5 clinging and or providing intervals to allowtiie substantial dissipation of obstacles to'ghalgino'.

In combination, a storage battery,l a charging machine providing a source of 4heavy charging current, time controlled means for progressively charging the bat.

tery by causing the delivery of the heavy current to the battery in a series of arbitrarily iXed periods of eiiicient charging said means'consisting of an automatic resistance varying device, located in the shunt circuit containing the shunt :field coil in series therewith.

5. In combination, -a storage battery, a charging machine having a shunt circuit containing a ield coil providing a source of heavy charging current, time controlledv means for progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current to the battery in a series of arbitrarily tiXed periods of efficient charging and for providing intervals to allow -the substantial dissipation of obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistanceu varying device located in the shunt circuit containing the shunt field coil.

6. In combination, a storage battery, .a charging machine having a shunt circuit containing a field coil providing a source v of heavy charging current, time controlled means for progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current to the'battery in a series of arbitrarily fixed periods of eiicient charging and for providing intervals to allow the substantial dissipation of obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic re'- sistance varying device having changing circuits located in the shunt circuit containing the shunt field coil and having means to automatically switch said changingy circuits into the shunt circuitlcontaining the shunt eld' coil.

7. In combination, a storage battery, a l

charging machine having a shunt circuit containing a ield coil providing a lsource of heavy charging current, time controlled means for progressively charging the battery. by .causingb the delivery ofthe heavy current t9 th .attery' i1'1 Series 0f rbi- -and' or providing intervals 'to allow" the .Substaiitial ,dissipation .0f ,QbSfacleS i0. charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance Varying device having changing circuits located' in the shunt circuit containing theyshunt field coil in series therewith adapted to vary the degree'of ning and end of each period.

In combinatiOll, 3f Storage bat-tery a charging machine having a shunt circuit containing afield coil providing 'a source of 1heav charging current, time controlled means or progressively charging the batf tery by causingthe delivery of the heavy current to the battery in a series of arbitrarily fixed periods of eiicient charging and for providing intervals to allow the -substantial dissipation of obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device located in the shunt circuit containing the shunt field coil in series therewith adapted to vary the. degree of current applied to said battery ,at the beginning and end of each period.

9. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine providing a source of A 'C l 1'rrei i t applied to said battery at the beginheavy charging current, time controlled means for progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current Ato the battery in a series of'arbitrarily fixed periods of eiiicient charging and for providing intervals to allow-the substantial dissipation of obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device having means to disconnect the battery fromthe charging circuit at the end of each period and to' reconnect it to the charging circuit at the beginning .of `each period.

10. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine providing a lsource of heavy charging current, time controlled meansv for progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current`to the battery in a series of arbitrarily iixed periods of eiiicient charging and for providing intervals to allow the substantial dissipation of obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic' resistance varying device adapted to vary the degree of current applied to said bat? tery at the beginning and end of each period and having means to disconnect the battery from the charging circuit at the end of each period and to reconnect it to the charging circuit at the beginning of each period.

11. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine having a shunt circuit containing a field coil providing a source of heavy charging` current, time controlled means for progressively charging the battery by; causing the delivery of the heavy ycurrent to the battery in aA series of arbitrarily fixed'. periods of efficient .charging vio - and for providing intervals to allow the sub-v stantial dissipation of obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device located in the shunt circuit containing the shunt iield coil adapted tovary the degree of current applied to said battery at the beginning and end of each period and having means to disconnect the battery from the charging current at the end of. each period and to reconnect it to Vthe charging circuit at the beginningof each period. .i

12.. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine having a shunt circuit containing a iield coil providing a source ofr .heavy charging current, time controlled i beginning and end .of each period and having means to disconnect the battery from the charging circuit at the end of each period and to reconnect it tothe charging circuitat the beginning of each period.

13. In combination, a storage battery, a

charging machine having a shuntl Vcircuit containing a iield coil providing a source of vheavy charging current, time controlled means for progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current toA the battery in a series of larbitrarily fixed and for substanti periods of eiicient charging dissipation of obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automaticY resistance varying device having changing circuits, having means to automatically switch said changing circuits into the shunt circuit containing theshunt iield coil and having means to disconnect the battery from the'charging circuit at the end of each providing intervals to allow the' il.

period and to\ reconnect it to the charging circuit at the beginning of each period.

14. In combination, a storage battery, a

charging machine having a shunt circuit containing afield coil providing a source of heavty charging current, time controlled means or progressively charging the bat- 'teryby causing the delivery of the heavy,

current to the battery in a series of arbitrarily fixed periods of eiiicient charging and. for providing intervals to allow the substantial dissipation of obstacles to charging, said meansj'consisting of an automatic resistance varying device located in the shunt circuit containing the shunt lieldlcoil, adapted to vary the degree of current applied to said battery at the beginning and end of each period, having means to automatically switch said changing circuits into'the. shunt circuit containing the shuntv field coil and having means to disconnect the battery from,`

the charging circuit at the. end of leach lperiod and to reconnect it to the charging` Vcircuit at the beginning` of each period. I

Signed at NewYork in the.county of New York and State of New- York A. D. 1911.

DAVID H. WILSON. Witnesses:

MYRoN F. HILL, A. L.y TRAVIS. 

